Twite, Linota flavirostris.—One station only, the Kentish Knock, Oct. 24th, misty with rain, "Mountain Linnets," Larks and Starlings through the night; sixty picked up on deck, as many more went overboard. Nov. 8th, one caught on deck.
Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus.—Flocks of Sparrows[11] were noticed at several stations south of the Humber. At the Outer Dowsing, on Sept. 29th, at noon, and Oct. 13th, 2 p.m., travelling from E. to W. At the Kentish Knock, Oct. 22nd to Nov. 8th, going from S.E. to N.W.; on Nov. 8th two came on board. At the Nore, Oct. 27th and Nov. 15th, on latter day mixed with Larks. At the Goodwin, Oct. 6th and 22nd, passing to W.N.W. At the Gull-stream, Oct 16th, large numbers of Sparrows and Linnets going W.; also on the 24th, 3.30 p.m., flocks 200 yards apart. At the East-side, Nov. 8th, 9 a.m., a flock going E. to W. At the South-sand Head, Oct. 8th, "French Sparrows"; 16th, the same, some settled on board. Time of migration Sept. 29th to Nov. 15th—forty-eight days. During September and October Tree Sparrows usually arrive in North-East Lincolnshire in flocks containing many hundreds. This year has been quite an exceptional one, and only a few stragglers have been seen. I suspect the persistence of north-westerly winds in the autumn has driven these and the great body of our immigrants much further southward than is usual. The returns indeed show this to be the case.
[11] It is not improbable that in some of the returns the entries may refer to the Common Sparrow. We know, however, that Passer montanus is such a constant and regular migrant to our east coast in the autumn that in the majority of cases it will refer to this species.—J. C.
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus.—Only once mentioned, at the Corton, Sept. 28th, 7.50 a.m., large flock going west, males and females. As the female of the preceding is undistinguishable from the male, this entry undoubtedly refers to the Common Sparrow. We know that the House Sparrow is a migrant across Heligoland,[12] and my own observations on the Lincolnshire coast tend to the same conclusion.
[12] See a letter by Mr. Gätke in 'The Times,' March 31st, 1877, on the "Migration of Sparrows."
Starling, Sturnus vulgaris.—Next to the Lark, the Starling occupies the most prominent position in the reports. It is noticed both north and south of the Humber at seventeen stations:—the Longstone, Coquet Island, Teesmouth, Outer Dowsing, Inner Dowsing, Leman and Ower, Cromer, Newarp, Cockle, Galloper, Kentish Knock, Nore, North Foreland, Goodwin, Gull-stream, East-side, and South-sand Head. Enormous numbers passed the southern stations in October, November and December. Sometimes in separate flocks, sometimes mixed with other birds. They crossed at all hours of the day and night, and in all winds and weather. Earliest recorded, Cromer, June 10th, 2 a.m., "quantity"; the Newarp, 7 a.m., on July 4th, going E. to W.; these were young birds.[13] Leaving out the earliest dates as referring to the migration of the young, we find that the regular immigration on to our east coast commenced on Sept. 22nd, when four were killed against the lantern of the Longstone at 3 a.m., to Dec. 16th at the Leman and Ower—eighty-six days; migration E. to W. The Starling, like the Lark, appears to have a particular facility for immolating itself against the lanterns. At the Leman and Ower large nmnbers of Starlings, along with Larks and Chaffinches, were taken in October; at the Galloper (see [Sky Lark]); also at the North Foreland, and many other instances too numerous to mention. At Heligoland this year there have been no young Starlings during July; Mr. Gätke says he may perhaps have seen a hundred, and this is all.
[13] This bears out Mr. Gätke's observation in a letter dated Heligoland, 1879, when he says, "Hundreds of thousands of young Starlings from end of June to end of July. Hundreds of thousands of old birds during October, November, and later; young and old strictly divided in their migrations."
Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix; Rook, C. frugilegus; Daw, C. monedula.—The migration of Rooks is not noted on the English coast north of the Humber; south of this they were noticed at nearly every station as either Rooks or "Black Crows," to distinguish them from the Hoodie or Grey Crow. Immense numbers of both Rooks and Grey Crows crossed on Oct. 16th from daylight to dark, travelling from E. to W. Noticeably at the Inner Dowsing, on Oct. 16th, large number of Crowds, from N.E. to W.; at Hunstanton, on the 17th, Hooded Crowds and Rooks all day; at the Newarp, on the 16th; at the Cockle, the same day "height of rush," Crows and Rooks, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., going W., and again on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th, large numbers of Crows, Rooks, Starlings and Larks, from daylight to dark, passing W.; again on Nov. 8th, large flocks of Crows. At the Corton, on Oct. 16th and 22nd, continuous flocks of Crows, Daws and Larks all day, E. to W., also Nov. 8th and 11th and Dec. 27th. At the Shipwash, Oct. 15th and 16th, constant on 15th, till 12 a.m.; on 16th, 9 a.m. to 3.20 p.m., from S.S.E. to N.N.W. At the Goodwin, Oct. 15th to 21st, Crows "in shoals." At the South-sand Head, Oct. 16th, Rooks, 9.30 a.m., going W.N.W. and N.W.; and seven other stations. In the returns it is impossible in many cases, under the general entry of "Crows," to separate the Hooded Crow from the Rook. It appears, however, that immense numbers of the Corvidæ crossed the North Sea; Rooks at stations south of the Humber, and Hooded Crows at both northern and southern stations from Oct. 15th to Nov. 19th. Both Rooks and Hooded Crows appear to have started simultaneously on Oct. 15th, and passed across the North Sea from E. to W. in almost continuous flocks on the 16th and 17th; and after these dates in more scattered detachments, less and less to Nov. 19th. And again during the latter, part of December; the last entry is on Dec. 27th at the Corton, Crows passing E. and W. in afternoon and Larks in hundreds. Daws are only mentioned at two stations; the Corton on Oct. 10th and 2:2nd, continuous flocks of Daws and Crows all day; also at the Shipwash on the 16th. At the Inner Dowsing on Oct. 22nd four Crows remained all night on globe above the lantern, and five took up their position in the same quarter on the night of Nov. 8th, leaving at daylight for the Lincolnshire coast. The wind on the North Sea on Oct. 16th was N. to N.E., force 4 to 7.
Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus.—On Sept. 17th, 10 p.m., at the North Foreland, wind E., overcast, misty a Cuckoo struck the south side of the lantern, but was not killed.
Swallow, Hirundo rustica.—The spring migration was noticed at two stations—the Cockle, June 8th, 9.20 a.m., five Swallows passed towards land; also on July 1st at 4.30 a.m., ten passing to W.S.W.; at the South-sand Head, July 6th, twenty at 3.30 a.m., flying towards N.N.W. The autumn migration was observed at several stations both north and south of the Humber. At Coquet Island, Aug. 15th, midnight, S.E., three Swallows struck glass of lantern, but were not killed; on the 20th great numbers were seen flying about, two striking glass after dark, but were not killed. At Whitby, on Oct. 4th, 9.30 a.m., flock going south. At Hunstanton, on Sept. 10th, 2 p.m., a flock alighted on lantern and gallery; and on Oct. 12th, 3 p.m., fog, twelve came up to light and dispersed in various directions. At the North Foreland, on Sept. 9th, 10th and 11th, about forty passed each day; and on the 21st, about one hundred flew round the lantern top for an hour. At the South-sand Head on Sept. 28th, twelve. Swallows passed. Migration extending from Aug. 15th to Oct. 12th—fifty-nine days.